Annual Singapore Forum 2025 - Shifting Global Power

On 23rd January 2025, the St. Gallen Symposium hosted its annual Singapore Forum, reinforcing its strong partnership with Singapore and commitment to fostering global dialogue. A student from the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), Nadhira Fateen Safeel, attended the forum and gained valuable lessons on the topic of “Shifting Global Power”.

The forum featured a distinguished panel discussion, with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat as the Guest-of-Honour. Industry leaders and experts, including Kee Joo Wong (CEO of Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Singapore), Dr. Noleen Heyzer (former United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General), Prof. Tai Yong Tan (President of SUSS), and Ms. Patricia Quek (Business Sector Head at Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) Global Wealth Management), shared their insights on the evolving geopolitical landscape and its impact on economies, societies, and leadership. 

Moderated by Mr. Tommy K.S. Koh, the discussion highlighted the importance of cross-generational conversations and international collaboration in tackling pressing global challenges. The forum also underscored the role of young leaders in shaping the future, particularly in leveraging science and technology to address long-term issues such as climate change and demographic shifts.

Nadhira Fateen Safeel, a second-year Human Resource Management student at SUSS, shared her key takeaways from the discussion, emphasising the panel’s insights on the growing impact of climate change on global leadership and the crucial role of youth in driving climate action. Inspired by these points, she posed a question about how the recent news of Donald Trump’s return to the presidency and his decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement might affect climate leadership worldwide. In response, the panellists offered a hopeful perspective, affirming their commitment to advancing sustainability efforts within their respective sectors, regardless of political shifts, to continue striving for a world that mitigates climate change.

Representative of SUSS, Nadhira, with Professor Tan Tai Yong, president of SUSS.

Distinguished panellists, the Ambassador of Switzerland in Singapore, and the CEO of the St. Gallen Symposium gathers for a commemorative photograph.

Nadhira engages the panel with a thought-provoking question. [Credits: Ministry of Digital Development and Information of Singapore (MDDI)